IPL 2018: Matthew Hayden feels MS Dhoni, not Chris Gayle, is the 'real universe boss'

Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni displayed his batting prowess yet again as he helped Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to beat Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) by five wickets in a high-scoring thriller at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Wednesday.

The 36-year-old smashed an unbeaten 70 runs off 34 balls as he and opener Ambati Rayudu, who scored 82 runs of 53 balls laid the foundation for Chennai's win as they scaled a massive target of 206 with just two balls to spare. Dhoni slammed seven sixes and a four, while Rayudu blazed eight sixes and three fours respectively.

Among the many, many fans who raised a toast to Dhoni on social media was Matthew Hayden. The former Australian opener, who represented CSK years ago, took to Twitter and shared his happiness at seeing his former team doing well in IPL 2018. Hayden went as far as to say that Dhoni is the 'real universe boss', even though that's a term reserved for West Indian dasher Chris Gayle.

"Oh my God....please let me sleep why did you have to make @ChennaiIPL so awesome, @msdhoni the real universe boss and @RayuduAmbati Mr Iceman you have me so excited for the rest of this years @IPL I can’t sleep," wrote Hayden.

Here's his tweet

Oh my God....please let me sleep why did you have to make @ChennaiIPL so awesome, @msdhoni the real universe boss and @RayuduAmbati Mr Iceman you have me so excited for the rest of this years @IPL I can’t sleep #WhistlePodu #unbelievable @StarSportsIndia

— Matthew Hayden AM (@HaydosTweets) April 25, 2018

Earlier in the match, Chennai won the toss and put Bangalore to bat on a flat track. RCB made a rapid start to their innings before skipper Virat Kohli (18) was the first one to be dismissed by Shardul Thakur (2 for 46).

The South African duo led by Quinton de Kock (53) and AB de Villiers (68) then led a massive assault, smashing a flurry of boundaries as they shared a quickfire 103-run partnership. RCB reached the 100-run mark in 11 overs. De Villiers smashed eight sixes and two fours as he took on the CSK bowlers. de Kock too joined in the mayhem as he too contributed with four sixes and a four.

Just as a score of above 220 looked imminent, Dwayne Bravo (2 for 33) bowled a slower ball, which took de Kock by surprise and popped up a simple catch to the West Indian. Imran Tahir then further dented RCB with a double-wicket maiden as he accounted for the dangerous de Villiers and Corey Anderson in successive deliveries to bring back CSK into the game.

Middle-order batsman Mandeep Singh (32) showed his batting might once again as he slammed a flurry of boundaries, even as wickets tumbled towards the end of the innings. Washington Sundar (13*) then smashed a six and a four off the last over from Bravo to take RCB to the 200-run mark. They ultimately finished with 205 for 8 in their allotted overs, despite two maidens.

Chasing 206, Chennai always had the batting power in their side and had the upper hand. Shane Watson, who hit a hundred in the last match against Rajasthan Royals (RR) went back to the pavilion after making just seven runs.

Rayudu and Suresh Raina (11) then shared a 42-run partnership as they helped the two-time champions to steady the innings. Spinner Yuzvendra Chahal (2 for 26), Bangalore's best bowler, then pegged back Chennai's innings as he took two wickets to leave the two-time champions in a spot of bother at 74 for 4.

It was then Dhoni and Rayudu, came together and slammed a flurry of boundaries. During the 101-run partnership, it was literally raining boundaries at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium as the duo thrashed the hapless RCB bowlers, who were guilty of bowling either too full or too short.

Rayudu was ultimately run-out by Umesh Yadav in the 18th over as Chennai required 30 runs off the last two overs. The 19th over, which yielded 14 runs, saw the Indian skipper hit a maximum before Mohammad Siraj (0 for 48) bowled three wides consecutively under pressure.

Needing 16 runs from the last over, Bravo slammed a four and a six each, before Dhoni finished the game with his trademark shot, when he blazed a maximum at the wide-long region to push back the two-time champions back to the top spot at the table.

Dhoni was adjudged Man of the Match for his splendid innings. Chennai has now won five matches, with one loss to have 10 points in their kitty after six matches. Meanwhile, RCB slumped to their fourth loss and are at the sixth position, with just four points in their account, and having won just two matches so far.

(Inputs from ANI)